An American in Mexico

What a story: My thoughts and prayers go out to the family. This family lost a child. Whatever the reason was, let her rest in peace and let the family mourn.

Jose L. Martinez

Blame game: Lots of people to blame here — starting with the parents, sister, "friends," enablers, people refusing to snitch even when they know something wrong is going on, and Elisabeth herself. So what was she going down to Mexico for? This article leaves a lot to be desired. Who owned the black pickup? How did she secure employment at a strip club? fake ID? And so on.

Mr. F. Blonde

Investigate: I have never heard a bigger crock of crap in all my life than, "Well, it's Mexico, it happened there, so the case is closed." Someone knows what happened to that child and how she ended up down there. Police need to go through her computer and Facebook accounts to determine who was communicating with her. Her friends may have clues. For God's sake, the same people are probably walking around First Colony Mall right now, lining up their next teen victim, and all the cops here can do is wring their hands? How many more little girls is it going to take before someone decides to dig deeper and find out who approached this girl (that surely happened in America) and struck up this bargain with her to travel to Mexico in the first place?

And for the creep who blames the parents and family when an 18-year-old acts out and exercises faulty judgment while testing her independence, you, sir, are truly a piece of work. Teenagers don't tell their parents everything. The blame belongs to the killers and the cartel members who recruited this girl. Blaming the heartbroken family for something they never could have dreamed of in a million years is just ignorance and cruelty on your part. It's really easy for you to sit at your keyboard and judge a situation you obviously don't understand, but you are dead wrong.

Joanie

Tragic: Condolences go out to the family. What a tragic waste of a young life. I'd bet my bottom dollar that she met a smooth talker at Moments and that person led her to her demise. I grew up in southwest Houston, and we never really left that side of town unless we needed to. It is obvious she worked at Moments because she knew no one from school or from Sugar Land would recognize her. She drove to the northside to meet up with someone she met at Moments. Someone may have tipped her extra generously and made her a tempting offer — probably something along the lines of how she would just be accompanying them and how she wouldn't be involved directly. Then when they arrived in Mexico, something went south, money wasn't exchanged, the product was short; she may have been collateral damage. I can tell you right now that a teenage girl wouldn't have been the mastermind of anything.

Joe Smoke

The important American: I can't get past the fact that this story tries to imply that American lives are more important than others, with lines like, "It's Mexico, after all, where even an American teenager can become a faceless casualty," and "[Elisabeth] was an American. They have to care about an American."

Cesar

American paper: It's not that American lives are more important than non-Americans. This is an American newspaper, and it caters to Americans. Americans care about issues that affect other Americans. It's highly unlikely for an American to have an interest in a story of a person from Slovenia who disappeared during a weekend in Bulgaria unless the situation is highly unusual. But when American citizens are involved, it makes other Americans care about the situation.

San Leon = Houston? "My #1 favorite Houston dish is Oysters Gilhooley at Gilhooley's." Eh? San Leon, how can it be a Houston dish if it is San Leon? Nice try, Robb, but you lose. Next time try the best 100 in San Leon.

Gardner

Get over it: Would you all please take big girl/boy pills and get over it. Would you be happier if the list said Greater Houston, or Houston and Surrounding Areas? Or Just Robb's Top 100 list?

LucyS

Finger food: Seems almost like giving the finger to all the great Houston chefs. I love Robb's stuff and will continue to buy his books. But he is a powerful critic, not just a schmo like me. I know of a great place in Boston that serves awesome oysters. It's only four hours away if you get the direct flight.

Royster

Truly a great place: I like the oysters at Gilhooley's. Good job, Robb; hope you didn't give the secret away. The last thing Gilhooley's needs is a bunch of "foodies" mucking up the local color. They suck!

Cephalopod

Disappointed: I don't really care that the No. 1 dish was in San Leon. I'm just kinda disappointed that a food blogger's favorite dish in a city the size of Houston is charbroiled oysters with some parmesan and butter on them. Wow. That's just really disappointing.

Nick

Thank you, Robb! What a great list. I truly enjoyed counting it down with you.

No magic solution: I really don't think that being exclusive about the bands that play at Fitz is going to do anything to bring people in the door. Those "Scout Bar bands" are playing those upstairs weekend shows because they draw a big crowd. I like a lot of the new music coming out, but if your hipster band can't pack out Rudyard's, then having hipster ownership at Fitz isn't magically going to bring you a big crowd there. Besides, it's not like indie bands aren't allowed to play there now; they just aren't bringing the big crowds right now.

Josh Webster

This is a good thing: I remember when Fitz's brought in exactly the kind of acts that the Pegstar folks are going to bring back to this place. I think they will respect the heritage of the place better than it has been respected as of late. Apparently nobody remembers how Fitz used to be. Really good national and regional acts used to play there all the time. Then things changed, and I ran out of reasons to go there anymore. I assumed this must have been because they had new owners. I was shocked to hear that it's the original owner who is selling. She must have lost interest or something, because the whole identity of the place is gone. It really went downhill over the past decade. I'm very hopeful that this change will bring back the glory that was Fitzgerald's, with some new blood that seems to recognize what makes the place great. Maybe fewer acts will leave Houston out of their tour plans now.

Shawn

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